Coot Foot

I stopped by the boat dock in Kingston, and as the ducks, geese and gulls gathered round begging a snack, I noticed the feet of these little black water birds, and was intrigued. I have since discovered that the foot belongs to an American Coot, a migratory bird come to winter here in East Tennessee.

Here's some information on this incredible foot:

....the infamous feet of the American Coot. As you can see by the picture the toes are lobed. This is the major difference between the American Coot foot and the common duck because the duck has webbed feet. There are a total of four toes on the foot of the American Coot, three larger toes facing forward and a smaller toe facing backwards. The main purpose of the lobed toes is to help the bird run. These feet are good for the American Coot for walking on top of vegetation in marshes and also on dry land when they're looking for food items on the ground. In the water the American Coot uses their big feet to propel themselves through the water. Although not as effective as webbed feet like the duck, the toes of the American Coot are perfect for the environment they are normally found in. Recall...that Coots also run across the water surface to take off in flight. If their feet were webbed the Coots would most certainly get nowhere trying to run across the surface of the water. Another plus for the giant toes is the American Coot can withstand higher temperatures because of the hardy outside layer and the dissipation of excess body heat through the feet.

http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/2010/spohnhol_cait/adaptation.htm